Feral Heart
by The-Serene-Mage
Summary: Lekyra is the daughter of a Gilnean city guard and a hot-head priestess. She works at a Tavern to earn money for her Druid training, until one night on her way home, she is attacked by the killer known as "The Skinner" she is rescued by a Gilnean Noble known as Nyles Obsidiangale who nurses her back to health and offers her a job as his scribe. This is her story. Please R


This is the story of my Worgen Druid, Lekyra about her life before the Worgen curse outbreak and through the early days of the curse. I hope you enjoy it :)

* * *

I walked through the market with my mother, holding our basket containing fresh root vegetables common to the Headlands of Gilneas. I heaved a heavy sigh as a few fat drops of rain dripped onto my fiery red hair, marking the signs of yet another rainy night I would have to walk home in. I worked in a tavern at night, making meals or serving guests, sometimes singing when the hearthsinger was too drunk to form a single syllable. The job was decent enough, none of the men grabbed for me as I passed, and I earned a good sum of silver towards starting my training as a Druid. But I wasn't happy, I wanted to sit in a quiet room and make scrolls for a noble, maybe even the king himself, but my mother wouldn't have any of it.

"Leky, what do you think your brother Nathaniel would want for dinner?" mother asked, placing a few carrots in the basket "It his week with us, and I want to make sure he has a good meal…" she added, moving to a stall that held fresh fish and venison.

My parents never married, my father was a guard for the city and was busy with keeping the streets safe to ask for my mother's hand. All he was able to do between patrol changes was find her at the market stalls or the cathedral district to hand my brother over to her. I loved my brother, but with a good five year gap between us, he was a handful… Mother would spoil him and allow him to do anything, but when I would try and tell him to be careful or to not do something, I would get scolded.

"Lekyra, get your head out of the clouds and answer me!" my mother snapped.

"I'm sorry mother; I was trying to think… Nathaniel is a very picky eater and most likely not like what you cook him tonight…" I answered.

My mother sighed heavily and turned to face me, her brown eyes vivid from her inner rage at my supposed outburst towards my brother.

"Lekyra Eliza Windsor!" my mother started, her index finger straight and ready for the scold "You are fifteen years old, a young woman!" she hissed "and young women do not use that tone of voice with their mothers!" she added before sighing heavily once more and turning away to hand a gold coin to the stall keeper who in turn handed her two fat Rainbow Fin Albacore.

I sighed and followed after my mother to the small horse drawn cart we used to carry our items home, she took the basket from me and placed it in the back of the cart where I would be sitting. As I was about to climb into the cart, the bells hanging in the cathedral began to ring, marking the start of the evening, and my job at the tavern.

"Better get to work Lekyra that coin towards your training won't earn itself…" My mother said as she grabbed hold of the stout black horse's reins, ushering it to move.

"I will see you around eleven tonight then…" I murmured back, knowing my mother probably won't hear me.

* * *

I didn't let my mother's hot-headedness keep me from enjoying the rest of the evening. Tonight the Tavern wasn't as full as it usually is and that made it easier to keep up on the drink and food orders of the guests. This also meant that I wouldn't have to fill in for the hearthsinger because he was less likely to get drunk due to the Tavern-keep's attention being on the few guests.

I liked not having to weave through the usual sea of men to get to my current customer. He sat in the corner in solitude, reading a book and picking at his meal. He was dressed nice, his skin sun-tanned, which in Gilneas is strange, his hair reached his shoulders and was black like the Gilnean Ravens, his were eyes a honey golden brown. He appeared to be a noble by the way he carried himself in the door nearly an hour ago.

"Here is your Honey-Mint tea sir, I'm sorry it took so long…" I muttered as I placed down a teacup next to him, picking up the empty one.

He looked up at me with a raised brow,

"Aren't you a little young to be working in a tavern young lady?" the costumer asked before reaching for his new cup of tea.

I smiled slightly before looking to the customer,

"It was the only thing I was allowed to do in order to raise money, kind sir…" I replied in the best polite voice I could muster.

"I don't see how working at a tavern at this age would be the only thing you were allowed to do," The customer said after taking a sip of his tea "I mean, there are a great many things a young Gilnean woman can do…" he added.

I sighed lightly,

"That is exactly what I told my mother," I answered "She is the voice of everything, and I have to abide by it… But I should really be getting back to work sir…" I added as I began to turn away.

The costumer remained silent as I walked away, most likely taking another sip of his tea. When I reached the counter where the Tavern keep was drying out a tankard, he looked at me and smiled, before scratching at the auburn stubble on his chin.

"Why don't you sweep up the tavern, then you can leave for the night… you look exhausted," he muttered, looking at a small pocket watch.

I nodded as I moved around the counter to grab to broom hanging by a thin leather strip from a hook. I liked the Tavern keep; he was like an older brother to me. He always made sure I was taken care of before having me work and would always wait until the last costumer was gone before letting me leave to be sure I wouldn't be followed out by a drunken patron. As I swept up the crumbs from the previous patrons of the night, I began to hum a little tune to myself to pass the time. The hearthsinger had gone home for the night and the only ambiance of the Tavern was the remaining patron's murmurs and the Tavern keep's own whistling.

"Thank you for coming Nyles, it was great seeing you again…" the Tavern keep called out as the customer I had served earlier moved towards the door.

I gazed upward in time to see him give a sweeping bow with a wide smile on his face,

"You are quite welcome Michael; I swear your tea is better every time I come here…" Nyles said in a soft tone.

The Tavern keep gestured towards me,

"Ha, you have young Miss Kyra to thank for that…" he said as he began to wipe down the counters.

"Well Kyra, thank you for the lovely tea," Nyles said with another sweeping bow

"You are quite welcome sir…" I said as I began sweeping up the sweepings into a bucket next to the fireplace "Do you want me to empty the bucket Mr. Winston?" she asked after hanging the broom back where it was.

"No, I'll do that before I lock up," he said as he held out his hand "Take your weekly pay and head on home lass, it is late…" he added.

"Thank you sir," I said as I pocketed the three silver coins "Do you want me to come in tomorrow?" I asked.

"No, you deserve a break, you have been working hard these past few days," he replied.

With a nod I headed for the door, my face was greeted by a cold breeze as the rain poured into the streets, the occasional streak of lightning lighting up the sky.

"Be safe on your way home girl, there are bound to be shady folk stalking the streets…" the Tavern keep called after me,

"I will," I replied "Thank you Mr. Winston" I added before closing the door behind me and rushing across the way in the direction of my home.

* * *

As I neared my home I felt as if I was being followed. This wasn't the first time though, for the past week I have been getting those kinds of feelings, I would usually pass them off as nerves or Mr. Winston making sure I got home okay.

As I passed an alleyway, a rough hand reached out to grab me, pinning me against a wooden beam of a building. The sudden impact of it making my vision dance before my eyes before I fully registered what was going on. The hand that had grabbed me was now on my throat, holding me a few inches from the ground. I looked at my attacker with frightened eyes; he wore a black mask that covered most of his face. He had raven black hair pulled into a loose tail and in the dark of night; I could see hazel colored eyes.

As I began to struggle out of his grasp, his hand closed tighter around my neck, making it harder to breathe. His expression changed a little, as if he was smiling,

"My, what a pretty face you have…" he said in a dark chuckle "it's a shame that you won't be having it for long…" he added as he pressed a dagger against my cheek, cutting into it a tiny bit.

"P-Please… L-Let me… G-Go…" I pleaded as best as I could, but all my attacker did was press the dagger harder into my cheek, bringing it down a bit to leave a cut into my skin.

"Now why would I do that?" he asked "I had you in my sights since a fortnight ago… You are the tavern wench with the pretty skin… the skin that will soon be mine!" he added in a chilling voice.

I began to struggle even more, this time kicking my feet in hopes to break free,

"No, please…" I pleaded once more; I finally knew who this man was… he was the wanted criminal known by the guards as _"The Skinner"_ Though I don't know who he really was behind that mask, I knew I had to break free before I was flayed alive, my corpse left to be discovered by a citizen or a guard in the early morning.

The Skinner let out a growling sound, bringing his fist against my cheek before using the strength he had in his hand around my neck to hit my head against the wooden beam, my vision going blurry once more before I suddenly dropped. My vision didn't clear as fast as I would have hoped, for the air came rushing back into me as I struggled to keep myself propped up. I coughed a little before I felt the dagger pressed up against my neck.

The Skinner had me by the hair, his masked face hovering near my ear,

"it's a shame a pretty lass such as yourself has to die in order for me to obtain your skin…" he murmured into my ear "But pretty soon that pretty face of ours will soon be hanging in my trophy room…" he added as he pressed the dagger harder into my neck, drawing blood "Now be a dear and don't make this difficult…" he whispered.

I closed my eyes; ready for the dagger to slice my throat, but all that entered my ears was a grunt before I heard the dagger against my throat clang to the ground. I felt a pair of hands grab my shoulders and hoist me up. I cracked one eye open to see a figure looking down at me with worry in his honey-brown eyes. I took me a moment to realize that this was the costumer earlier… but I couldn't remember his name… I knew it started with an "n" I wonder if it was Nicholas or something.

"It will be okay young Kyra…I won't harm you…" He murmured.

By this time, both of my eyes were open, and Nicholas or whomever was carrying me away from the alleyway.

"W-Who… What is going on…?" I croaked.

"Shhh… I will explain later… I must get you to safety first…" he murmured as he rounded a corner.

My head began to pound from a skull-splitting headache began to arise in the back of my head. I had lost track of time. My attention was fading in and out and when I heard a solid wood door close behind me, the rain drops no longer pelting my face, I knew we were indoors.

"Ah, Lord Nyles… Welcome back sir…" called a noble voice.

So his name was Nyles then… I hoped I would remember it this time.

"Thank you Adams," Nyles replied, carrying me towards the direction the voice came.

"Sir, you look battered, what happened if I may ask?"Adams asked.

"This is Miss Kyra; she was attacked by the killer that has been roaming the streets…" Nyles answered "I saved her right before he ended her life…" he added. I almost didn't know that I was passed over to Adams "I need you to care for her while I report this to the city guard and hopefully contact her family," Nyles added once more.

"Yes sir… right away," Adams replied as he began to walk away from his lord. He walked up a spiral staircase and down a dark corridor before entering a small room. I was placed down on something soft before Adams walked away, only to return with a soft cloth and other medical supplies.

"You are really lucky milady… The Skinner is a ruthless man and not easy to escape from.

I nodded, closing my eyes,

"Yes, I am very lucky indeed…" I replied.


End file.
